Facebook can be a thing of beauty when it works, but things can and do go wrong on occasion.
I sometimes get emails from agents who have worked hard to build their brand on Facebook then get locked out because the site's administrators think they violated a policy.
If your entire online strategy is built around your Facebook page, what do you do then?
What's your plan?
You worked hard to get to where you are, gather your fans, and post content. When Facebook cuts you off and you lose access to your page, it can be devastating.
While this is not an extremely common occurrence, it does happen and I want you to be ready for it!
You absolutely need to have a plan B and prepare for the possibility that you may temporarily or permanently lose access to your page for any given reason.
Here are three things I want you to do today to minimize your heartache:
- Always have a backup administrator - Don't be the only person with access to your page. Add someone else you trust as a second administrator. That way, if your personal account experiences problems, someone else can log in and continue posting to your page for you while you resolve things.
- Don't rely solely on Facebook - Encourage your fans to sign up for your newsletter, receive your blog updates or join you on Twitter as well. This allows you to keep communicating with them if you get locked out.
- DON'T PANIC - Although it may take some time, Facebook will usually restore access and you will be able to resume your activity. It's very rare that someone gets kicked off completely. Bide your time and provide the information they request to restore your access. You'll be back in business soon enough.
If you want to get things moving a little quicker, here are the forms you need to report disabling issues for your personal profile and your page. And, if you run a group or an event page and have trouble accessing it, here is the link to report that.